The Marquis Dingxi residence naturally received the news immediately, and the entire household was in uproar.

“My lord, this isn’t his business alone—this is meant to harm our marquis residence!” Concubine Zhou said urgently. “This will get us reported to the censors…”

The Marquis Dingxi had been sitting motionless in his chair ever since learning the news.

Chang Yuncheng actually dared to do such a thing!

Such an obviously trouble-inviting act!

That’s right, commoners indeed didn’t amount to much in their eyes. At that time, never mind that the person couldn’t be saved—even if he could be saved, any powerful family would have done the same thing.

But doing it didn’t mean they would admit to it.

Who would admit to it? What was the point? Wasn’t that foolish?

They naturally weren’t afraid of commoners—they were afraid of the censors! They were afraid of the “Great Admonition” promulgated by the founding emperor! The founding emperor had truly killed many people back then! Just because two commoners filed complaints, he could flay and dismember a prefect!

Of course, there hadn’t been such incidents since the founding emperor, but there was no guarantee that the current emperor, who wholeheartedly wanted to emulate the founding emperor, wouldn’t have a sudden whim!

Smart people naturally left no handles when doing things. Once there was such a handle, it would be nothing when there was no trouble, but when someone truly wanted to cause trouble, that would be delivering oneself to death!

“Has he gone mad?” the Marquis Dingxi murmured, looking completely puzzled.

He naturally understood the relationship between Madam Xie and her son—both could excavate their hearts and lungs for each other, exchanging life and death.

So it could be said that Chang Yuncheng was worried about Madam Xie to the point of madness, his mind impulsive and losing rationality…

“My lord!” Concubine Zhou had been speaking for a long time, but seeing the Marquis Dingxi still sitting there, she reached out and urgently pushed him. “What are you still standing there for? Hurry to the prefectural office and publicly rebuke the Lord before the people. Although we share the same bloodline, we must distance the marquis residence’s reputation a bit! Otherwise, our entire family will be dragged into the quagmire by him!”

“Indeed, he’s the heir of the Marquis Dingxi residence. Whatever he does, people will naturally hold it against us…” the Marquis Dingxi murmured.

Just like the merits he had earned—the court rewarded the Marquis Dingxi residence, and everyone praised him as a father who taught his son well.

Similarly, if he did absurd things, then naturally his father would also be scolded—”If the son is not taught, it’s the father’s fault.”

“We shouldn’t have made him the heir in the first place!” Concubine Zhou said angrily. “You can see at three what someone will be at eighty—he was a troublemaker who had no rules and wouldn’t listen to anyone when he was young. Our marquis residence’s inheritance is at the most critical time right now. The old generation’s merits are gradually fading, and we need to be careful and cautious to stabilize our family business. Look at him—is he the type to be careful and cautious?”

He really wasn’t…

The Marquis Dingxi sighed heavily.

Perhaps he really shouldn’t have back then…

It’s just that when Great Madam Xie died, the Xie family made endless trouble, and mother had no choice but to agree to give Yuncheng the heir position. At the time, it was also an expedient measure, right?

So could it still be changed now?

What could be established could naturally be abolished. If the heir was impure, naturally a virtuous person should replace him.

“…Such a simple matter, what was he thinking!” Concubine Zhou paced back and forth, extremely angry. “What’s there to make trouble about? Isn’t it just treating someone to death? There are doctors—whoever treats takes responsibility! What does it have to do with him? Treating illness—how can everyone be cured? Just say it can’t be treated and send them away!”

At this point, Concubine Zhou sneered coldly.

“In the end, he’s still mindful of marital affection, isn’t he?” she said, supporting the Marquis Dingxi’s shoulder with a cold smile. “That woman made our marquis residence lose face with her divorce back then, and now even after the divorce, she can still make us lose face like this. It’s really…”

Indeed, this matter was simply about not saving someone’s life. As long as the doctor said it couldn’t be treated, it would be over. At most, they’d be scolded as quack doctors or something…

“Which doctor can guarantee to cure all diseases and treat everything successfully? How is she so precious?” Concubine Zhou continued. “The Lord protects her so mindfully that he impulsively tarnished himself. Doesn’t he think about whether this is just his own business? This concerns our marquis residence! Share glory and share loss—does he have the marquis residence in his heart? Does he have this family? Does he remember who he is?”

That’s right, share glory and share loss!

The Marquis Dingxi suddenly stood up.

Concubine Zhou wasn’t prepared and nearly fell.

“Someone, go to the prefectural office!” the Marquis Dingxi shouted with solemn authority.

This man who had always avoided trouble was finally taking action!

Concubine Zhou was overjoyed.

This time, the heir position couldn’t be kept!

She clenched the silk handkerchief in her hand. Although it was delayed by so many years, it would ultimately fall to her son!

That’s right, those things that should have been hers would ultimately all become hers!

One could imagine that once Chang Yuncheng lost his heir position, that Madam Xie…

If you can anger one to death, you can naturally anger two to death!

Concubine Zhou sneered.

This time, the Xie family wouldn’t have any face to make trouble, would they?

This time, the mother and son brought death upon themselves—they couldn’t blame others!

Watching the Marquis Dingxi walk out, Concubine Zhou couldn’t help but laugh and sigh.

“Concubine, why are you sighing when things are going well?” the maid beside her asked quietly.

“It’s such a pity I can’t go to the scene to watch,” Concubine Zhou said with a regretful smile. “Ah, who made me a woman? I can only stay in the inner quarters.”

Staying in the inner quarters, one could still have their wishes fulfilled—not every woman could achieve this.

Concubine Zhou smiled proudly.

In the prefectural hall, with Zhou Maochun’s few words settling the matter, everyone was preparing to disperse.

The family wiped their tears and withdrew clinging to each other, with the deceased being carried by the constables.

Chang Yuncheng also lifted his foot to leave.

“What are you going out for now!” Qi Yue grabbed his arm and shouted.

“What?” Chang Yuncheng looked at her with a frown, not understanding.

“Go through the back!” Qi Yue said angrily.

Chang Yuncheng smiled. He reached out and grasped Qi Yue’s hand, seeming to pause with some reluctance, but still pulled it away without hesitation.

“I’ve lived this long and have never really gone through the back door,” he said, turning and striding away.

Looking at this man’s straight back, Qi Yue stamped her foot in anger and hurried to catch up.

Liu Pucheng and the others naturally all followed.

Zhou Maochun made two “tsk tsk” sounds and looked at the prefect beside him.

The prefect felt uncomfortable under his gaze.

“Sir, is there any other instruction?” he quickly said respectfully.

“Aren’t you going out to see them off?” Zhou Maochun asked.

What a joke—going out at this time would mean getting hit in the head by those rioters and being utterly embarrassed!

The prefect wouldn’t be willing even if he were stupid, much less since he wasn’t stupid. He stared at Zhou Maochun, trying to find suitable, face-saving words to refuse, when suddenly his eyes lit up.

“Master Zhou!” He grabbed Zhou Maochun’s hand.

This time it was Zhou Maochun who was startled.

“What are you doing?” he quickly shook his hand, saying.

“Please examine my son!” the prefect said urgently, gripping tightly and not letting go, as if the man would run away if he let go.

“What’s wrong with your son?” Zhou Maochun looked disgusted and kept shaking his hand, shouting.

“My son was once trampled by a horse, and later…” the prefect said hurriedly. For his son’s sake, he couldn’t see Zhou Maochun’s disgust—in his eyes, even if Zhou Maochun were cursing at him, it would sound like heavenly music.

To catch such a capable physician! His son’s condition, which had kept him constantly worried, could finally get a definitive conclusion.

“Oh!” Zhou Maochun didn’t wait for him to finish before excitedly grasping the prefect’s hand, his eyebrows dancing with joy. “Right, right, your son—the one Qi Yueniang opened up and operated on! Quick, quick, let me examine him!”

Although he had witnessed the chest surgery firsthand, that patient had died, so he couldn’t see the results. How could he forget there was a living one! A living one! He must strip him bare and study him thoroughly!

Not expecting Zhou Maochun to be so enthusiastic, the prefect was almost moved to tears. This was character! If the people in the capital knew about this, they would definitely be jealous!

“Please, please,” the prefect said excitedly.

The two excited men even forgot to let go of each other’s hands and walked in hand in hand like that.

While these two were getting along so well, the atmosphere outside remained tense.

Although Wang Qingchun had made explanations and posted notices, the watching crowd still hadn’t dispersed.

When they saw the deceased’s family come out, the atmosphere immediately became heated.

“How pitiful!”

“This is how the world is!”

Such discussions filled the crowd, with emotions running high.

This attitude even startled the young woman, and fear appeared on her face.

Had the matter been blown up too much…

This… would be alright, wouldn’t it…

But having come this far, she could only steel herself and continue.

“Thank you, fellow villagers,” she said, crying as she bowed to the crowd.

That sorrowful and helpless expression again stirred up the people at the scene.

Chang Yuncheng walked out at this moment, and instantly all eyes focused on him.

This kind of attention was different from before.

Anger, indignation, and resentment could almost melt a person.

Chang Yuncheng remained expressionless without the slightest panic, lifted his foot, and walked step by step into the crowd.

The guards didn’t keep up—originally they should have cleared the way, but now it became Chang Yuncheng clearing the way.

The disciples of Qianjin Hall who followed out couldn’t help but turn pale.

“If this… what if… but… even random punches can kill a master…” someone couldn’t help but mutter.

The dense crowd in front of the prefectural office parted to make a path as Chang Yuncheng walked, but the crowd didn’t disperse—everyone was watching Chang Yuncheng.

These people included old and young, men and women, all dressed simply or even raggedly, with the thin and weak in the majority. They held no weapons in their hands, but just watching like that brought intimidation no less than being surrounded by tens of thousands of troops.

The key point was that when surrounded by tens of thousands of troops, they could defend themselves with weapons in their hands. Though dangerous, it was the kind of stimulating danger that could make one’s blood boil. But at this moment, though they had weapons in their hands, they couldn’t defend themselves. This kind of suppressed, inescapable, unavoidable danger was the most dangerous.

The guards following Chang Yuncheng broke out in dense sweat on their foreheads—this was unprecedented.

Qi Yue lifted her foot to follow when she saw another commotion outside. The crowd automatically parted again, and the Marquis Dingxi appeared before everyone dressed in ducal ceremonial robes, with the steward and servants following closely behind him.

Qi Yue stopped, her brow furrowing.

So when there was external trouble, there would inevitably be internal strife…

So to avoid bringing trouble upon oneself, having the hero cut off his own arm was the best choice…

So what Chang Yuncheng chose to face was not only the people’s anger but also the backstabbing from his own family…

This bastard! This fool! This idiot!

She quickened her pace to catch up.